OT

The other part of my rehab was to see an occupational therapist. Again, when I started I didn't quite know what was involved, but we sat down and discussed what my objectives were and then we got down to business.

As opposed to physio which was supposed to be therapeutic and improve my functionality, my time with the OT was purely educational and focused on two aspects.

First, maximising the use of what you have by making sure you use it properly and also learning new strategies of how to use things to get more benefit from them.

The second aspect was to look for new equipment to assist in everyday living, and i have to say there is a bunch of stuff out there to help, from button hooks to cooking aids, there is an amazing amount of stuff. Even without a disability,, some of it would be really useful. In future blogs I will categorise some of the new equipment I have got.

So, what did I think of it. There is no question that the process has been beneficial, but I keep wrestling with the fact that I feel ripped off with having to go in the first place. I guess that it is always hard coming to terms with the fact that you are sick, and the road to recovery can be hard and sometimes even unattainable. Until next time, stay well:)

Physio

I have seen a physio before. Every time I have a stiff neck or my muscles don't feel quite right, off I go. But this was different. The aim of the game was to improve simple tasks that I was now starting to find difficult. Such as walking.

So, what was the process? There were two main objectives, strength and balance. If both of these were improved, then tasks such as walking should be easier.

In the first session, the physio tested my muscle strength and identified muscle groups that were weak and needed work. They then gave me exercises that would strengthen those muscles.

They also tested my balance. This involved things like shutting my eyes and seeing how long I could stand still for, and pigeon stepping along an imaginary tight rope. Again, a series of exercises were developed so I could practice and improve.

During the process I did question the validity and the good that was being done, but I stayed the six week course and at the end the benefits were easy to see. Not only did I improve my results the first set of tests, I improved my walking and other skills.

So it has been worth it, and I thoroughly recommend it for anyone in a similar situation. Until next time, stay wellJ

My first day at rehab

So I sucked up my pride, told myself that what I was doing was good for me and off I went to Epworth rehabilitation hospital in Camberwell. Now, I have never been to a rehab facility before (as a patient or other) so I did not know what to expect, but my opinion was highly favourable.

I don't know if this was simply because the staff were really nice or it was genuinely a good facility, but I can't say for sure as I have no basis of comparison, but one thing for sure is that the staff were really great.

Before I arrived I had been given an outline of who I was going to see, and my first appointment was with the physio, a delightful, warm and caring person called Tiana. For this session we took some measurements of my strength and balance, and also discussed what I wished to achieve. From here she developed a plan for me for future visits. I will elaborate more in future posts.

After the physio I met with Delia, another delightful, warm and caring person who is an occupational therapist. We talked about what made my day to day living hard and what could be done to make it easier. We wrote a list of goals I wanted to achieve and from here she also developed a plan. I will also elaborate on this further in future posts.

Overall, my first experience with rehab was positive. I understood what the process was and what it was designed to achieve. More importantly, I didn't feel like an ability impaired person who was the pity of society. Until next time, stay well:)

Rehab

To tell you the truth, I had a hard time accepting the fact that I needed rehab. First, I was a victim of my own ignorance. I thought rehab was for Matt Newton, Lindsay Lohan or Ben Cousins. People with substance abuse problems, and although I have enjoyed a drink from time to time, I have never taken drugs and do not fall into this category.

But as I said, I was a victim of my own ignorance. Rehab is for people with a wide range of disorders. Most of the patients were either car accident victims, stroke sufferers (or other brain injury patients) or elderly patients that had had a fall. In fact, the facility that I went to did not treat addiction.

The second problem that I had was simply accepting that I needed to go to rehab. I am 35 years old, and I have looked after myself. Up until I got sick I was active fit and healthy. I ate well and did not abuse my body. Rehab is for old people or those who have not looked after themselves, or for an unlucky few have been in an accident. I fell into none of those categories.

I understand that these thoughts do sound selfish, and if I strip them down, they are. But I think all sick people feel cheated in some way, and I have decided to share how I feel for two reasons.

First, even when you think your feelings are selfish ad unfair I feel it is so important to address them and talk about them. Bottling them up is not good for you, just make sure you choose wisely who, when and where you share your feelings.

Secondly, I cannot convey to you all how I feel if I don't share all of it, and by addressing how I feel I can deal with it and move on. So how do I move on?

I start by addressing my issues. It is not fair that I need rehab, and by telling myself that I validate how I am feeling. But there is nothing I can do about it and rehab will be good for me. So swallow my pride and get on with it. Earl Woods told Tiger Woods that when he hit a bad shot he could be angry at himself for ten steps, after that he needed to focus on what needed to be done afterwards. The same applies here. Be angry and validate your feelings, but afterwards you must look ahead.

Next time I will share with you my actual experience with rehab. Oh, and if you are curious, my hands are feeling better, but I think this is a problem that will resurface again. Until next time, stay well:)

What to talk about?

Well I actually have a lot to talk about on my favourite subject, me! Since I last gave you an update on what I have been doing an awful lot has taken place. I have been through the surgery and I feel I would be doing myself a disservice if I didn't do my part to make it as successful as possible.

So, in order to do that I have taken the following steps:-

1. Keep all my doctors appointments, follow their instructions, be honest with them and call them if I think their are any issues (which thankfully there hasn't been).
2. Take time away from work to focus on my health, physically and mentally.
3. Get fit. I have been training twice a week and swimming two or three times a week anywhere from 400m to 1000m.
4. Do my rehab and associated exercises.

It has been quite exciting to see the improvement, but I won't lie, it has also been tough. In my next post I'll elaborate further. Until then, stay well:)